MEN:-
MELLISH 14 LICHFIELD 86 PTS
Following on from the very pleasing performances the previous two weeks, Lichfield produced a thoroughly good all round display against a struggling Mellish side on yet another dark and dank day. Despite the wet weather, but on a decent surface, the visitors constantly threw the ball around and the vast majority of their handling was secure, which resulted in 14 tries, eight of which were converted by Kai Lucas-Dumolo.
There were first tries in this side for Jack Hamlet and Aled John, however, the real plaudit has to go Will Pearce for his solo effort, including a convincing dummy, which was the first ever try of his rugby career – on top of his very solid scrummaging and general graft. That score brought a fitting end to the entertainment in north Nottingham.
One has to feel some sympathy for Mellish, with just one victory so far and their second string has also only one success to ‘’celebrate’’ and they managed to lose 90-0 on the same afternoon. With the score at 26-0, the hosts scored two tries in two minutes, which only stirred the visitors to keep piling on the points. In their only visit to the Lichfield ‘’22’’ all game, they eventually manufactured a try for James Mead and within moments full back, Bradley Chambers, intercepted a lofted pass just outside his red zone and he was off unopposed to the posts, both were converted by Max Roberts.
It took just under ten minutes for the city side to open the scoring with a typically bullocking run from Jack Hamlet leaving three defenders in his wake. From there on, aside the two minutes of positivity for Mellish, it was all one way traffic. Paul Maxwell-Keys, Rhys Davies, Kieran Higgins (2) and Harry Hitchen helped take ‘’Lich’’ to a 38-14 half time lead. The mathematicians will work out that there was no let up at all after the break and Higgins’ second try had brought up the century for the season.
Most of the remaining eight tries came because Mellish ran out of numbers to defend the incessant wave of attacks. By the end, they had just run out of steam. John and Ollie Green took the total past fifty and then there were further scores for Kieran Reynolds (2), Matt Key, Josh Butler and a third for Higgins before Pearce concluded matters with total modesty.
Elsewhere, Dronfield defeated third place, Melbourne, in a real arm wrestle by 26-14, but only picked up four points, so Lichfield’s lead at the top of the table inches its way to three.
This coming Saturday, the 1st XV have a week off before re-entering the fray on 1 March with a home match against Matlock, please note KO is 3pm.
LICHFIELD 2s
Lichfield’s second XV were deprived of an opportunity to send George Brown off to his new career on the pitch when Hinckley 3s (U23) cried off on Friday, so giving the 2s five points to take them up to fourth place in their league, just above Hinckley.
The 2s now have a week off before their next (away) league game at Atherstone (1s) at 3pm.
WOMEN:-
SALE 1861 12 LICHFIELD RED (1s) 28 PTS
HUCCLECOTE LADIES 0 LICHFIELD GREEN (2s) 24 PTS
Both women’s teams were out and about on Sunday, still trying to fulfil their coaches’ aspirations for this season – a play off place for the Reds and promotion for the Green team. Both came home with bonus point victories, so could not have done much more on the day to make these events happen. They may need help, however, from other sides to give them the push up in the final five and seven rounds of matches respectively still to be played.
The Reds and Greens also showed the development and improvement that is coming from having more settled sides and from playing more regular rugby again after the vacuum they encountered from mid November for the following two plus months.
In the original match at Cooke Fields, Lichfield had struggled to cope with the bigger Sale pack and this time three tries in the opening 20 minutes put the Cheshire side very much on the back foot. Flanker, Lottie Bozon, scored an early try for Lichfield and it did not take long for both ‘’Kaz’’ Kacirkova and Molly Draycott to use their pace to good effect in adding two more tries, although hooker, Hannah Kurtz, got one back for the home team during this opening period. To go into the second quarter 17-7 ahead was a great fillip for the city side and Draycott, on her 50th appearance, stretched this lead with a penalty just before half time.
The game was effectively settled when Sam Williams, another club front rower contributing a rare try, crossed the whitewash for the bonus point try and Draycott put over another penalty to add to one earlier conversion. In the last ten minutes the hosts scored a second try through Megan Grant-Harris, but it was too late by then to affect the outcome.
The Green team made their first ever visit to Hucclecote at the same time and encountered a typically, physically abrasive Gloucestershire side. The contrast in styles of play contributed to the game’s interest and enhanced the value of the team’s win. There is no doubt that, with Emily Williams crossing twice within ten minutes of the start, the locals were given an unexpected wake up call. On 25 minutes, Sarah Baugh took the lead out to seventeen points, which also became the half time score. Increasingly, this looked like it would also be the final outcome, but Williams took her personal contribution to three tries in the final minutes with Emelia Twesigye kicking a 2nd conversion for another satisfying day out.
The Red team are due to host Kenilworth, whilst the Green team visit Old Leamingtonians, on this coming Sunday, both KO 2.15pm.
LICHFIELD COLTS (GREEN) 19 SHREWSBURY 19 PTS
The Green colts were narrow losers when they visited Shrewsbury in September and the sides this time could not be separated in this North Midlands Div 3 match. There were three tries apiece, two of which were converted, to give them both a share of the spoils. This coming Sunday, both colts sides are on their travels to the same part of Birmingham. The Reds visit Birmingham Moseley and the Greens go to near neighbours, Bournville, both league games start at 2pm.
JUNIORS:-
The boys under 16s took on another development team this week to test their progress and came up slightly short in a tight game, losing 17-22 to Pinley. The other cup finalists, the 14s, made a second visit to Stratford this season and, after a previous win in October, could not manage the double, the final score was 25-21 to the home team. The 13s bounced back from their recent cup loss and beat Ashby 25-20. The only other result to hand saw the girls 14s continue their successful season at Leek (+ Stoke), winning 61-15, as they continue their preparations for two significant weekends in March - a rematch with Barkers Butts and their home cup tie with Stafford.
END
c/o Dave Lewis
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